Brace i or stringed instruments



N. C. AND H. M. MAINE.

BRACE- FOR STRINGED msmumems.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 7, 1919- v Patented Sept. 23, 1919.

mm .&

rurentors Maine UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

NORMAN CHARLES MAINE AND HERMAN MAX MAINE, 0F ESTHERVILLE, IOWA.

BBACE FOR STRINGED INSTRUMENTS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 23, 1919.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, NORMAN C. MAINE and HERMAN M. MAINE, citizens of the United States, residing at Estherville, in the county of Emmet and State of Iowa, have invented new and useful Improvements in Braces for Stringed Instruments, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a brace for a stringed instrument, and more particularly to a longitudinal brace and adjustable tension rod to be applied to stringed musical instruments of the type played with a bow.

One object is to relieve the longitudinal strain to which the sound body of the instrument is subjected, due to the tension of the strlngs.

Another object is to provide a longitudinal brace extending through thesound body and having its ends mounted in the head block and in the tail block, and a tension rod extending through the sound body and parallel with the longitudinal brace before mentioned.

With the aforegoing and other objects in view, the invention consists in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawings,

Figure 1 is a longitudinal section through the instrument.

Fig. 2 is a section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

The top of the sound body is designated at 10, the back thereof is shown at 12, the neck at 14, and the head at 15. The strings 16 pass over the bridge 17 and are secured to the tail piece 18, which in turn is connected by means of the gut 20 withthe end of the longitudinal brace referred to below.

An extension tail block is designated 21, and the end of the longitudinal brace 22 is connected with the tail block by means of a dowel pin 23. The opposite end of the longitudinal brace is mounted in the head block 25, extending into the opening 26 in the neck. A sound post 27 is located in the position indicated.

An adjustable tension rod 30 extends through the sound body and parallel with the longitudinal brace 22, the ends of the rod 30 passing through the tail block 21 and through the head block 25. Nuts 31, 32 engage the threaded end of the tension rod 30 and provide means for adjusting the tension and especially for compensating for the tension produced by the strings which tend to deflect the elements of the sound body out of their normal position.

By the use of this device we avoid the distortion of the sound body which impairs the tone of the instrument, and it is possible to maintain the instrument in good condition under all circumstances.

What we claim is In a stringed instrument of the class de-.

tures.

NORMAN CHARLES MAINE. HERMAN MAX MAINE.

copiel of thll patent may be obtained for Me cents each, by addressing the "Commissioner of Patents, Washington, .D. G. 

